A Twisted Love Affair
Chapter 123: His heart is as thin as paper_1

Chapter 123: His heart is as thin as paper_1

The lamplight flickered.

She came out of the bathroom in the dead of night. Shen Jing hid under the covers and wept silently, her tears seemingly endless, until she once again burrowed into Zhou Luchen’s embrace. He was unusually patient, wiping her tears with his palm, gently patting her back, and enveloping her in his arms, offering her a place to nestle. She, however, only grew more aggrieved, pushing her luck.

With a broken sob, she said, "I want to go back to Su City. I’m going to be late."

What time was it? It was already 6:00 a.m. She had work at 10:00 a.m. and needed to get up at 8:30 a.m. Considering Zhuang Ming’s driving speed, she would arrive at Hongtan right at 10:00 a.m., her usual schedule. Yet tonight, she hadn’t slept a wink.

"Don’t go," Zhou Luchen said, his coaxing tinged with impatience. "Cancel today’s meeting. I’ll take you horse riding."

"I’m not riding any horses. I don’t know how," she insisted firmly.

His patience wearing thin, Zhou Luchen lowered his gaze, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her coolly. "You enjoy being scolded, don’t you? Getting bold, are we?"

Just listen to him. Arrogant and conceited, that was Zhou Luchen.

Shen Jing reached out, her hand caressing the man’s firm, well-defined waist before giving him a light pinch in reproach. She didn’t have the strength to pinch hard; it was more like a tickle.

"Don’t be harsh with me."

Zhou Luchen wrapped his hand around her lower back, his fingers lingering and kneading the spot where her red birthmark lay, saying nothing.

Suddenly, Shen Jing stopped crying and confessed, "A red birthmark signifies a love full of hardship."

Zhou Luchen’s hand paused for a moment, and he raised an eyebrow slightly. "Who taught you that?"

"The internet," she replied. f(r)eew(e)bnovel.(c)o(m)

Zhou Luchen chuckled, his fingers gently tracing it. "It’s quite enchanting on you."

"There’s another interpretation," Shen Jing said, leaning against the headboard and pulling the covers over her chest. "That it means no ’true love destined for marriage’."

’True love destined for marriage’—it represents the right partner in a marriage.

"If there’s no such thing, then I won’t marry."

Zhou Luchen pulled her back into his arms, pressing her against him. He gazed down at her, his voice light and teasing, "Stay with me. I can provide for you for the rest of your life, support you, spoil you. Isn’t that good?"

There’s no one else for me to marry but you.

Shen Jing had only one assessment for Zhou Luchen: he was cold and unfeeling.

"If you marry someone else someday, why bother secretly providing for me?"

A nonchalant smile played on Zhou Luchen’s lips. "You wouldn’t like that?"

Her voice muffled against his chest, Shen Jing grumbled, "I wouldn’t. I don’t want to live a life hidden from the light."

Zhou Luchen’s interest was piqued. He whispered hoarsely into her ear, "Would I let my woman live in the shadows?"

Marriage? He hadn’t even considered the word. Did it matter whether they married or not? Even if they did, as long as she was willing to stay with him like this, he could still ensure Shen Jing was always by his side, accompanying him freely to any occasion, and absolutely no one would dare to speak ill of her.

Perhaps it was because of the affection she held for him, but Shen Jing, at that moment, detested his cruel and twisted way of thinking.

"If I were to spend my life with you like this, my ancestors for eighteen generations wouldn’t be able to rest in their graves! If you’re single, we can talk. If you’re not, then stay far away from me," she declared.

Beneath the covers, her foot kicked out at his thigh, a playful vent of her frustration. Her kicks didn’t hurt him; he easily brushed off her attempts.

Zhou Luchen chuckled softly, coaxing her back into his embrace. "Alright now, are you always this easy to tease?"

With her face buried against his bare chest, Shen Jing whispered softly, "Not like that. I don’t want it to be like that. I just want you as you are now—to cherish me, spoil me, and not bully me."

Zhou Luchen lifted a hand, smoothing her soft hair and tucking it behind her back. He gave a soft chuckle. "Sleep."

Overcome with fatigue, Shen Jing grew quiet, her eyelids drooping heavily.

"Hold me tight. I get scared easily in my dreams."

He hummed in affirmation.

They simply slept, all the way until that evening.

When Shen Jing awoke, her body felt as limp and light as if she were treading on clouds. Zhou Luchen was nowhere to be seen. The bedroom felt empty, his black pajamas and tie hanging on the luxurious footboard of the bed.

She threw off the covers and went to the walk-in closet, slipping on one of his shirts. The fabric was soft and delicate, comfortable against her skin.

She even took a selfie and sent it to Mr. Zhou.

’Do I look good, Mr. Zhou?’

Mr. Zhou didn’t reply.

Opening the door, she went out. Only the housekeeper was there, preparing a meal and looking after the kittens. The study door was firmly closed.

The housekeeper put down her work, untied her apron, and walked over. "Today, we have crab roe porridge, ham and conpoy paste in candied tangerine peel cups, and lemon tart. All your favorites."

Seven or eight small dishes were exquisitely plated.

Shen Jing picked at her dinner, taking a couple of bites. Noticing the housekeeper looking at her, seemingly hesitant to speak, she put down her small silver spoon and asked gently, "What is it, Auntie?"